Strip guides for punch presses



Dec. 17, 1957 E. J. TARSA EI'AL STRIP cums FOR PUNCH PRESSES 2 Shets-Sheet 1 5%" Arraem-v Filed Oct. 6. 1954 Dec. 17, 1957 E. J. TARsA ETAL die of the strip,

United States Patent STRIP GUIDES FOR PUNCH PRESSES Edwin J. Tarsa, Chicago, and Harold J. Volman, Cicero,

Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 6, 1954, Serial No. 460,599

Claims. (Cl. 16459) This invention relates to punch presses, and more particularly to strip guides for punch presses.

In the use of a progressive type punch press having a die to form from a strip of material articles having lugs projecting from the plane of the articles, the strip is fed into the punch press and must be carefully guided throughout the travel of the strip in the die. Where edge portionsrof the strip are trimmed off as the strip progresses through the die and portions of the strip are bent out of the plane of the strip, it is very difiicult to remove short pieces of the strip at the end of punching operations thereon inasmuch as the projections prevent the strip from being pulled back out of the die and guiding means for guiding the edges of the strip are caught by the unnar-- A further object of the invention is to provide a punch press having a die for punching lugs to positions projecting from a strip of material and for cutting away edge portions of the strip, guiding the strip of material precisely in its travel through the die and permitting the tail end of the strip to be pulled on through the die to clear the A punch press illustrating certain features of the invention may include a die having a lug-forming opening and a groove extending away from the lug-forming opening to provide clearance for movement of lugs formed on" the strip of material and a punch for punching lugs from the strip of material and for cutting away with the die edge portions of the strip to narrow the strip. A guide equal in width to the initial width of the strip may be provided to guide the Wide part of the strip between the punch and die, and resiliently mounted guide plates designed to guide the narrowed portions of the strip are provided at the exit end of the punch and die and have carnming portions formed thereon against which the narrow portions of the strip push to move the guides from the strip and permit it to be withdrawn from the punch and die.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of an apparatus forming a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partially sectional, top plan view of an apparatus forming one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of an article formed by the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown therein a punch press for forming an article 10 having a depending lug 11 projecting out from the plane of the article. The article is formed in progressive steps from a strip 12 of material guided between a stationary lower die 13 and a movable upper die or punch 14 carrying a stripper plate 15 therewith. The strip 12 is guided by overhanging edge guides 20 forming a guideway of a width equal to that of the strip 12 into the dies 13 and 14, and, as the punch 14 and the die 13 operate they cut edge portions from the strip. Punch portions 22 and 23 serve to cut the edge portions and also to sever each of the articles 10 from the strip, as illustrated in Fig. 1 by ribs 24 of the punch portions projecting between the lefthand article 10 and the remaining portion of the strip 12. A punch 25 is provided for cooperating with a forming portion 26 of the die 13 to form the lugs 11 projecting downwardly from the plane of the strip 12 and a shaving punch 27 is provided for shaving openings 28 formed in the strip.

After each of the articles 10 is severed from the remainder of the strip, when the strip is pushed manually to the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, each article is pushed by the forward end of the strip under guide lugs 31 of guides 32 having guide edges 33 spacedapart the width of the articles 10 so that the articles are precisely guided from the die to a discharge chute portion 35 of the die.

A groove 36 is provided in the die to clear the lugs 11 to permit free passage of the articles 10 from the die. The guide plates 32 are mounted slidably on pins 38 with the movement upwardly thereof being limited by heads of shoulder screws 39 fitting into counterbores 40, and wire springs 41 fastened by screws 42 fit into grooves 43 formed in the plates 32 and press the plates 32 toward an upper face 44 of the die 13. The plates 32 are provided with cam surfaces 45, which are engaged by edge portions 48 of the strip 12 when the tail end of the strip is pulled to the left along the die to remove the tail end portion of the strip. The edge portions 48 lift the guide plates 32 out of the plane of the strip so that the tail end or residue of the strip can be pulled therepast. The edge articles 10, which are substantially narrower than the strip 12, but still permit the strip 12 to be pulled through the apparatus when the tail end portion thereof is to be removed from the apparatus. I

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a punch press including a stationary bottom die and an upper die reciprocable toward and away from the bottom die, said dies being provided with cooperating elements located intermediate the edges thereof for cutting an edge portion of a strip away to narrow it from an original predetermined width to a second width, the combination therewith of a pair of entrance edge guides fastened to the top of the bottom die on opposite sides of the cooperating elements, said entrance edge guides having spaced apart guiding surfaces for engaging the edges of the strip and said guiding surfaces being located in positions spaced apart a distance as great as said predetermined width for guiding the strip to the dies, a pair of exit edge guides provided with guiding edges and also having camrning portions extending laterally from the guiding edges, and means mounting the exit edge guides in positions extending along the bottom die in positions in which the guiding edges of the second guides are spaced apart adistance" equal to'said'second width, said mounting means permitting movementof'the exit edge guides-upwardly away from the top of the bottom die when unnarrowed portions of the strip engage the camming portions of'the secondjpair'of guides.

2. In a punch press'including 'a'stationary"'bottom die 'and anupper'die reciprocabletowar'd and awayfrom the bottom die, said dies being provided with cooperating elements located-intermediate'the edges thereof for'cutting an edge portion of'a strip awayto narrow it from an'originalpredetermined widthto a second width, the combination 'the'rewith 'of entrance'guide means located on the topofthe lower die forguiding'the strip to said elementsysaid entrance j guide means having spaced apart guiding surfacesfor engagingthe edges 'ofthe striprand said guiding surfaces being'spaced'aparta distance equal 'tosaid' predetermined width, a pair :of "'exite'dge guides "providedwith "guiding edges spaced apart said second width and also having 'carnrriingportions extending'lat- 'erally from the guiding "edges, and 'a plurality of vertical guide pins mounting the edge guides on the top o'fthe bottom die in positionsin whichthe guiding-'edges'are "held'in theii spaced apart "positions spaced, a 'distance equal to said second width, to permit'verticalmoveme'nt upwardly away from the top "of the bottom "die when'unnarrowed portions of the'strip engage the camming iportions of the *guides.

3. A=punch*p're'ss,which'comprises a bottom diehaving an upper face along which "a' strip of material of aipre- -determinedwidth'maybe'pushed; apnnch mounted above upper'face of'thedie "at one side of "the strip-forming portions for'guiding'the'stripto' the'removing portions, a

pair of "exit-edge guides; means mounting the exit edge guides on theupper face 'of"the dieon "the opposite side of the=removingportionsinpositions spaced apart a distance-equal to the second width of' the strip for guiding the strip from the punch'and die, said mounting means preventing movement apart of the exit edge guides and permitting the exit'e'dge "guides to be moved upwardly from the'die, and means urging the exit edge guides toward the die, at leastone of said edge guides being provided with a cam portion .engageableby a wider portion of the 'stripto movetheexitedge guide out of the path at the widerportionof the'strip and the strip to be moved therepast.

4. A punch press, which comprises a bottom die having 'anupper'facealong whichastrip ofv material of a predetermined' width'may'be pushed, a punchimounted above the die' and movable. toward 'and away from the die,- said punch and die being provided with centrally located stripcutting portions for removing an edge portion ofthe strip to narrow the strip to a second width, entrance guide means mounted on the upper face of the die in positions at one side of the strip-cutting portions spaced apart a distance as great as said predetermined width for guiding the strip to the strip-cutting-portions, a pair of exit edge guides,..andtmeans mounting the exit edge guides on the upper face of the die on the opposite side of the stripcutting portions in positions spaced apart a distance'equal to the second width zofzthetstrip for guiding the.striplfrom the punch and die, said mounting means preventing movement apart of .the exit edge guides and perrnitting the exit edge guides to be moved upwardly from the die, at least one of said exit edger guides being provided with cam portions engageable by the wider portion of the strip to move that edge guide out of the path of the wider portion of the strip and the strip to be moved therepast.

5. A punchpress, which comprises a bottom 'die having an upper face along which a strip of material of a predetermined widthmay bepushed, a punch mounted above the die and movable'toward and away from the die, said punch and die being provided with centrally located article-cutting portions for removing edge portions of the strip to narrow the strip to a second width and cutting .narrowedportions of strips'into articles, a pair of guide .members mounted on the upper'face of the die in positions at one side of 'the'article-cutting portions spaced apart a distance as greatassaidpredetermined width for guiding'the strip to the article cutting portions, a pair of exit edge guides, means mounting the exit edgejguides .on the upper face ofthe die on the opposite side of the strip-cutting portions in positions spaced apart a distance equal to the second width of the strip for guiding the articles from 'the punch and die, said mounting means preventing movement apart .of the exit edge, guides and permitting the exit edgeguides'to beimoved upwardly from the diepand means urging the exit edge guides toward-the die, said exitedgeguides being provided with camportionsengageable by wider portions of the strip tomove the exit edge guides out of the paths of the wider "portionsof the strip and the strip to be moved therepast.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,979,413 Seft Nov. 6, 1943 2,372,499 Kerner Mar. 27, '1945 233743-76 "Olney Apr. 24, 1945 234'47j884 Willous Aug. 24, '1948 '2;'6l3,743 Bangerter 'Oct. 14, 1952 '-2-,61-9,'172 Flittner Nov. 25,1952 

